Newly Diagnosed

Hello all,
I’m confused about this whole ordeal. If the Doctor would have told me I had high blood pressure (not that this diagnosis is any better) I think I could have grasp this whole thing a little better. I have been to a nutitionist and the Diabetes Educator and I am still confused. I take the medication twice a day, and I check my BG three times a day. In the morning I am 118, 2 hrs after I eat lunch I am 90 and before I go to bed I’m between 70-96. How do I get a handle on my life (being diabetic)? Can someone help me out?

Those look like fairly good numbers to me…actually I think they’re grrrreat! (that’s just my opinion)~ What are you confused about, or, what are some specific questions that you need help with?

In order to get a handle on being a diabetic, set goals , perhaps starting with fairly easy ones first; add walking to your daily routine or more veggies to your diet. Just know you’re not alone! Managing diabetes does get easier but it won’t always be easy.

Check out this web page: http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/NewlyDiagnosed.htm

I was in your shoes a year ago. i am struggling daily with this disease. If you need help just ask. I remember its a lot of info to take in the first few months. Take it one day at a time. Sounds like youor doin great so far!!!

It takes time to get a handle on this disease and how it affects your life. Be kind to yourself and give yourself that time.

I read a lot of books on the subject at first (and still do from time to time). I hate the name of the “Dummies” series, but do recommend the Diabetes for Dummies book for the newly diagnosed. It really lays everything out in an easy to understand way, and continues, after many years, to be a great resource book on my shelf.

Sounds like you are doing well.

Here is a page many people have found very useful: http://alt-support-diabetes.org/newlydiagnosed.htm,

The testing schedule suggested there will really help you understand what foods are safe to eat and which ones are too hard on your blood sugar.

The best advice is to take it easy on yourself and learn what you can step by step. As the others have said, your numbers are GREAT! So just take this time to learn how to take good care of yourself. Like Jenny said, your meter is your best tool. If you want to figure out how things affect your blood sugar, then measure your blood sugar 1-2 hours later and you’ll see. You’ll be an expert in no time!! But there is a lot of info to take in at first… so just take it step by step and know that you are not alone! We all had this feeling of being overwhelmed!

When you have specific questions, just ask!

Hi, I’m new too, and not sure yet if I’m officially type 2, but I just wanted to say your numbers look great. Looks like you’ve gotten good advice. There is a lot of information to absorb isn’t there? Its ok, it will all come, in time.

Get into a good medicine taking routine - if you’re not used to having to take medication at certain points during the day it can be really easy to forget! Set up alarms to remind you when to take medication and when to test. Purchase books on diabetes (or check them out from the library) - meals, exercise and plain old living with it. If there are diabetes support groups in your area try to stop by one night - it makes you feel less alone in the disease! It looks like your numbers are really good - that’s the range my doctor wants me in. :slight_smile:

I’ve had T1 for 14 years now and it took a little adjustment. I went to support groups, I did walk for the cure, I did diabetes summer camp and I asked my endocrinologist a LOT of questions. Doing all of those things will help integrate diabetes into your life.

Hi Durrenda,
Welcome. You have gotten ALL really good advice here. The only thing I would add is that you should take one day at a time. Don’t handle tomorrow or next week yet. Just work on today. It can be over whelming if you try to take it all in at one time. You can do one day at a time. If that gets too hard just handle the morning or the afternoon, etc. Before you know it, the week will have gone by. Don’t forget to log each and every day. Then you can look back in a couple of days and see that you made it through. Your numbers are great. Pretty soon, you will be welcoming someone else.

Hi Durrenda, I agree with everyone… your numbers are fantastic, actually, although personally I would find 70 might feel a bit low before bed… (maybe check with your dietician to consider a bedtime snack, or an adjustment to dinner?)

Anyway, I’ve gotten 2 really good pieces of support that have stuck with me for years:

  1. don’t beat yourself up over the highs or the lows, or any individual result, for that matter. each reading is not a test, it’s part of a pattern that tells you where you might need to make a change.

  2. dieticians are awesome. I have been surprised at how much they can help given their understanding of how food impacts your system and also how your body metabolizes food and insulin… hope you can find a good one and use the little tidbits of info they can share with you

hang in there… you’re doing great :slight_smile:

The great news is that your numbers are very good. Read,blog,read,blog,read,blog…repeat. Learn all you can and understand that this is a diasease of mindset and knowledge. Ya gotta wanna, and ya gotta know how… It is a disease of an ever changing self… and what works for others may or may not work for you.
You will learn day by day what does and doesn’t work for you. I have had this for 44 years and I continue to learn new things all the time…It’s gonna be ok, just know that!

Keep Going…Peace, Bob